Discover West Virginia: Germany Valley Overlook Cabins

Germany Valley Overlook Cabins—the name says it all. The views are spectacular. Softly lit morning skies, dazzling afternoons, and stunning sunsets, come standard with each cabin. Nestled in the mountains of Pendleton County near Franklin, West Virginia, Germany Valley Overlook Cabins offer a distinctive lodging experience.

Germany Valley from North Fork Mtn

Lovingly built in 2005 and 2006 by owners and operators Bill and Luci Raines, each cabin has a unique floor plan. Cabins 1 through 3 are log cabins with vaulted ceilings, wood interiors, and hardwood floors. Cabin 1 was assembled with logs from a neighbor’s small sawmill. The Raines designed and built this cabin inside and out from plans Luci sketched on graph paper. As the smallest cabin, its 900 square feet sleeps a maximum of six. With 1400 square feet, Cabin 2 is the largest cabin sleeping a maximum of nine. Cabin 2 features a cherry log staircase railing that the Raines hand-peeled from logs from their farm. The interior walls of Cabin 3 are built of white walnut, knotty pine, and bull pine from lumber salvaged from a house scheduled to be torn down. Cabin 3 offers 954 square feet, sleeps up to ten, and is wheelchair accessible.

Cabin #3

The Lookout Cottage

The newest addition to Germany Valley Overlook Cabins only adds to the uniqueness of the lodging. Built in 2014 on a portion of the property called “Picnic Ridge,” Cabin 4 is appropriately named the Lookout Cottage. It’s a two story structure designed and built by the Raines to resemble a fire tower, and it functions like one, too. Sitting on the highest portion of the property and sporting a covered deck surrounding the second story on three sides, the Lookout Cottage is tailor made for soaking up the panoramas of pastoral Germany Valley. It sleeps up to six lucky people.

The Lookout Cottage

Spread out over 170 acres of pasture and woods, each cabin is private. All you see is nature, and plenty of it! The cabins are furnished with all the comforts of home, including a fully-equipped kitchen and a full bath with a shower. There’s electric heat, air conditioning, satellite TV and, depending on the cabin, a gas fireplace or a wood-burning stove. Outside you can stretch your legs on a full-length porch, fire up a charcoal grill, picnic, or build a bonfire in one of the fire pits (ax and wood provided!). "We appreciated all the little details of comfort in addition to the amazing views,” is how one guest described the thoughtful extras provided by Bill and Luci.

View from Cabin #3

Recreation Opportunities Abound

Despite the privacy and seclusion, Germany Valley Cabins are not isolated. The cabins are well situated for a wide variety of outdoor recreation. For hikers, the trailhead to one of the most scenic trails in West Virginia, the North Fork Mountain Trail, is a mere ½ mile away. Seneca Rocks, a scenic icon, is just 15 miles away. It’s a haven for rock climbers and sports a hiking trail to the top of this imposing 1000-foot cliff. Adventure seekers might also enjoy the family-friendly Nelson Rocks Outdoor Center (NROC). Only four miles from the cabins, NROC offers zip line canopy tours up to a mile long and a unique climbing route called Via Ferrata, a mile of fixed-anchor, professionally-guided rock climbing. If you prefer your adventure’s underground, Seneca Caverns, just six miles away, offers tours of its expansive limestone caves. Smoke Hole Caverns is about 28 miles from the cabins.

Cabin #3 Interior

You’ve also got whitewater rafting, canoeing and float trips available some 38 miles from the cabins. If you prefer a more relaxing way to see the countryside, three scenic trains are close by. The Potomac Eagle Modern scenic train station is 38 miles away; The Cass Scenic Railroad, featuring vintage steam driven Shay locomotives, is 40 miles from the cabins, and the Durbin and Greenbrier Valley Railroad is 31 miles away. A little farther out, about an hour’s drive, are Greenbank National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Canaan Valley and Blackwater Falls State Parks, the Dolly Sods Wilderness Area, the Smoke Hole Recreation Area, and Spruce Knob (the highest point in West Virginia). In the winter, downhill and cross country skiing, tubing, snowboarding, air boarding, and ice skating are all available in Canaan Valley.

Cabin #2

Germany Valley Overlook Cabins offer much to travelers and vacationers: modern, deluxe accommodations in rustic log cabins, glorious views of the great outdoors, seclusion, and yet easy access to a variety of West Virginia’s finest recreational opportunities. A guestbook entry sums it up best: "Beautiful! Have now stayed in all 4 cabins. Each one unique. Each one with a slightly different view of the valley. Each is fantastic."